Improved machine for cleaning and renovating feathers



D. BUDD- Feather Renovator.

Patented we 2, 1868.

I 1%7/5 w, a:

Unrrsn s'ra'rns nTEN'r DANIEL BUDD, OF VALATIA, NEW YORK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 78,421, dated June 2,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL Bonn, of Valatia, in the county of Columbiaand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful.Improvements in Apparatus for Curing or Renovating and CleaningFeathers; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure l is a longitudinal central section of myimproved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a top view, and Fig. 3 a transversevertical section, of the same.

The object of my invention is to provide a ready and simple means forcleansing and ourin gfeathers used for making beds and other purposes;and it consists, essentially, of a featherholding vessel or cylindercombined with steamjackets, for either discharging steam into the bodyof said cylinder or heating the said cylinder without admitting steamthereto, and agitators or heaters arranged within this ves sel for thepurpose of stirring the feathers, and subjecting them all to the equalaction of the steam or the heat.

To enable those skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, Iwill now proceed to describe the manner in which the same is or may becarried into effect by reference to the drawings accompanying, andforming part of this specification.

The apparatus there shown consists of a feather receptacle or cylinder,A, of any suitable size and conformation, supported in suitable uprightsor bearings, B, in the journals to a, which are made hollow, as shown inFig. 1, for the purpose hereinafter specified. A door, 11, is provided,by means of which access may be had tothe interior of the cylinder.'

In order to impart the necessary heat to the vessel, and to introducewithin it the steam needed in order to thoroughly cleanse and renovatethe feathers, the jackets c d are formed so as to partially surround andto extend the whole length of the vessel. Steam is supplied tothesejackcts by means of the branch pipes f f, which extend from thehollow journal at, in which the nozzle or endof a steam-pipe leadingfrom a suitable steam-generator is inserted. The passage of the steam iscontrolled by a two-way cock, 9, by means of wall of the smaller jacket0 1'. rated or pierced with aseries of holes, l: which the steamdischarged into the t finds its way into the interior of the cylineevessel. The jacket d, which is of greater dimensions than the other, isused only to dry the feathers, and does not communicate with he interiorof the cylinder. feathers so as to insure that they all. shall beproperly steamed and heated, a shaft or spin: dle, It, provided with aseries of arms or beaters, l, is placed in the cylinder, its ends beingmounted in the ends or hollow lines or journals of the cylinder. One endof the spindle passes out from the cylinder and has attached to it acrank, by means of which. a rotary movement can be given to thebeater-arm.

'And I would here remark that the journals a a can be mounted in theirbearings so as to allow the cylinder to be rotated; for it might beadvantageous at times to give-this motion to the cylinder, in order tothorcughl y shake up and separate the feathers. in this case there wouldbe no necessity of rotating the shaft 70.

From the foregoing descriptiiiin, ahe operation of the apparatus will bereadily understood. After placing in the cylinder, through the door, thefeathers to be cleansed or cured, steam is turned on, by means of thecock, into either or both of the jackets-c d, and the beater spindle orshaft is revolved. The steam which enters through the perforations 73cleanses the feathers, which ar stirred or thrown up by the heaters I,so to expose every portion of them to the action of the steam, and whenthis is accomplished, steam is shut ofi' from the jacket 0, and passesonly into jacket 01, the heat from which seen dries or cures thefeathers, the heater vbeing revolved as before, so as to facilitate thedrying operation. In this manner I am enabled to prepare fresh feathers,and to renovate those which have for any cause become unfitted for use,expeditiously and thoroughly, without trouble.

Having now described my intestine, and the In order to beat or stir the'manner in which the same is or may be, carried into effect, what Iclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An apparatus for cleansing and drying feathers, consisting of afeather-holding vessel heated by means of steam admitted either into thevessel, or into a jacket or jackets applied thereto, andcombined withheaters or agitators for stirring the feathers withinsaid vessel,substantially as and for the purposes shown and set forth.

2. The combination, with the feather-holding vessel, of the steamjackets or chambers upon the exterior of the same, one of said chambersbeing perforated, so as to allow steam to pass into the interior of saidvessel, and the branch pipes and cook for supplying the steam to saidchambers, under the arrangement and for operation as set forth.

3; The combination, with the jacketed feather-holding vessel, asdescribed, of the rotary heaters or arms, and spindle and crank, withwhich they are connected, mounted in the said vessel, substantially inthe manner andfor the purposes herein shown and set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification beforetwo subscribing witnesses.

DANIEL BUDD.

Witnesses J. UAR'PENTER, F. Vim-t iiiANflVOORD.

